The Bundy Affair – #17Ryan Payne Explains Some of the Circumstances
Surrounding the Bundy Affair in April 2014

Gary Hunt
Outpost of Freedom
October 13, 2016

Ryan Payne’s attorneys did not want him to go public with this letter. You will note that it was written on September 19, 2016. He mailed it to me on October 3rd. However, the final decision to go public with it was withheld, at my request, until I received it and then got confirmation that he still wanted it to go public.

Today, October 13, I spoke with Ryan and he is still desirous of the letter going out. This has been edited for clarity, at Ryan’s request. The PDF (linked at the bottom) is as I received it.

As you will see, Ryan’s efforts were an attempt, by setting out false information, to provide a degree of safety for those patriot participants. If the government believed that there were things that really were not, then that would be an incentive to think before acting.

Today, October XX, I spoke with Ryan and he is still desirous of the letter going out. This has been edited for clarity, at Ryan’s request. The PDF (linked at the bottom) is as I received it.

Feel free to share this with anyone who might be interested, especially those that he addresses it to in the first paragraph.

Gary Hunt, Outpost of Freedom

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Monday, September 19th, 2016

To those Patriots, their families, and anyone affected by or involved with the indictment against Cliven Bundy and eighteen others,

.

This letter is my apology to you all and is open for disclosure to any and all who may have interest.

This letter and apology are necessary due to my negligence and lack of foresight during and after my time at the Bundy Ranch in April and May of 2014. During that time, I acted as a bodyguard to Cliven Bundy and various members of the Bundy Family, as a liaison between the Bundy Family and any unorganized militia concerned with protecting innocent lives, and as a chairman of defensive council meetings which occurred after the 12th of April, 2014.

In a number of interviews after the 12th of April, with a few different media outlets and activist groups, pertaining to the events surrounding the 12th, I made statements that were speculative, inaccurate, fabricated entirely, and others that were all three. The inaccurate, speculative, and/or fabricated statements had to do with:

1) There being a “plan” to accomplish certain objectives that there was never any “plan” to accomplish;

2) Certain capabilities existing that did not actually exist;

3) Circumstances or outcomes which may or may not have existed or been possible;

4) Command of individuals and/or groups in relation to a “plan,” of which there was no such command nor a plan to execute;

5) Any “planning” which was said to have taken place before the 12th of April, of which there was none.

1) There were outcomes that I discussed with Mr. Bundy on the morning of April 8, 2014, upon first meeting him, which were desirable to him and his family. These were then disseminated through conventional and alternative media outlets, in the belief that those who may decide to protest against the Sheriffs apparent lack of involvement, and/or against the brutal and militarized actions of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). This would give them more information to aid in making decisions for themselves and their actions. There was never a plan to accomplish these objectives, in any way, shape, or form, nor was there any intent to support any such plan, by myself, the Bundy’s, or any one else. As there was presumed to be a large protest on April 12th, I discussed, with numerous individuals, some particular things to be watchful for amongst the crowd, for the safety of all involved including law enforcement and federal employees. However, none of these discussions concerned a plan to achieve any objectives. This is true to my knowledge.

2) There were no long-range marksmen present before, during, or after the 12th, except those employed by the BLM as confirmed via photographic evidence disseminated before the 12th. There were no counter-sniper teams or positions, nor was there any plan for such. There were no qualified individuals or teams present to perform such a task, even if there had been a plan for it. Again, there was no such plan, and no orders were ever given in relation to such positions or teams, nor could there have been orders given, as there was no command authority. This is true to my knowledge.

3) There was no “Tactical Superiority,” any intent to achieve “Tactical Superiority,” and there was no plan concerning achieving “Tactical Superiority,” at any time before, during, or after the 12th, relating to the events which took place in and around Bunkerville, Nevada. There could be nothing other than speculation concerning any outcomes or circumstances pertaining to the 12th because there was neither a coordinated nor centralized offensive entity, plan, nor strategy, nor was there any intent to achieve or implement such.

Statements about what could or could not have happened if the BLM or Forest Service Tactical Strike Force had opened fire on the innocent protesters they were aiming their AR-15 style rifles at, which included women and children, were, are, and could only ever be speculative and based on opinion, as there was no coordination nor planned response to that scenario. This is true to my knowledge.

4) There was no “command” authority, “on-the-ground commander,” or any agreement to give, to receive, or to follow orders from anyone in the Bundy family, nor myself, nor anyone present or not present in Bunkerville, Nevada, before or on the 12th of April, 2014. Neither myself, nor anyone else, gave orders or instructions regarding fortified positions, or gaining tactical superiority, to anyone present on the 12th. There was certainly no agreement to commit a crime, or multiple crimes. This is true to my knowledge.

5) As stated in (1) above, there was never a plan, nor was there any planning pertaining to the events which took place before and on the 12th of April, aside from being able to provide food and water to protesters. This is true to my knowledge.

After the 12th, there were those of us that stayed with the Bundys for their own comfort and protection, as they related that they still felt that the government might attempt to do them harm again. The rhetoric issuing from Harry Reid about those American citizens that protested on the 12th being, calling them “domestic-terrorists”, led many of us to believe that the stage was being set for a government action reminiscent of Waco, Texas and Ruby Ridge, Idaho. In both instances, FBI agents killed women and children. Continued lies from different government representatives furthered that sentiment, and it was felt that there was not the ability to defend against such an action.

In lieu of the lack of ability, but the desire to defend against, what many felt, would amount to a government-orchestrated execution of the Bundys and others involved, I took it upon myself to disseminate a series of calculated misrepresentations, fabrications, and speculations, concerning the events of the 12th. Others did the same. The facade created by these misrepresentations was intended to make it seem as if the protest on the 12th was planned, orchestrated, and carried out by those who were still protecting the Bundys. This projected the notion that any subsequent aggressive action on the part of the government could be responded to in a similar manner that could quickly and easily be achieved by those still present at the ranch, at that time. I made other statements to present the appearance that government retaliation against the lawful protesters at their homes across the union could result in a similar response.

The government has apparently used my statements, and other’s statements, to justify the present indictment. Although my intentions were to help secure the lives of innocent Americans, my words have probably contributed to their current imprisonment. My altruistic motive does not clear my negligence in using a method, intended to protect; that could later be used against all of those implicated through the method. I did not foresee that the government would use those statements to contrive the intent of committing crimes, and contrive conspiracies to do so via contrived agreements with others.

I am prohibited by a court order from discussing the particulars of the “evidence” the government collected over the last two and a half years in its intrusive investigation into this matter. However, I can relate to you that it has become obvious to those who are reviewing it, that the government found no evidence of any conspiracies to commit any crimes. They have discovered that my statements were not factual, so they fabricated their indictment, using language of their own. Though they mimicked language that I had used, which is essentially proof that their indictment is based on falsity and misrepresentations. They are very crafty in having used a facade intended to protect, in order to create a facade intended to implicate the commission of crimes; yet it is indisputable, that the latter is even further from the truth than the former, given that its credibility relies on previous falsities.

The “evidence” also might reveal, through their own documentation, the blatantly unlawful and overly forceful tactics employed by the BLM and Forest Service, and perhaps even present a mode of indicting employees working for federal bureaucracies for the very crimes they allege against us. Us includes you, the American People, because while there were thousands from across the union that lawfully protested and supported protesting on April 12th, nineteen of us bear the whole weight of the federal government by this prosecution. Perhaps this is why they are keeping it sealed. Perhaps the same is true in the Oregon case as well. I am not allowed to say what the evidence is, but I have reviewed enough to form an opinion. The People should know, and perhaps one day you shall.

I would also take this opportunity to give a few words regarding the federal informant Mark McConnell. Bear no grudge. Harbor no animosity. Exact no vengeance, for vengeance is the L-rd’s. He continues to attempt to justify himself and his actions, which a man is inclined to do by his nature. He continues to lie and mislead; he continues to perform the will of his master. But I forgive Mark, despite the facts that I have become aware of over the last eight months, which are not limited to his dealings in relation to LaVoy Finicum’s murder. I forgive him for what he has done and what he continues to do.

Mr. McConnell: in the words of King Leonidas, to Ephialtes, the traitor who showed the Persians the way to thwart the Spartan led defense of all Greece during the battle of Thermopylae, “May you live forever.” May you be an example to future generations, of the cunning and mischief of a corrupt government and the people it uses and destroys to its own purpose. You are another part of G-d’s perfect plan, which is being revealed, and we all play our part. The “virus,” of truth, liberty, and the power of The People, was spreading from Harney County, Oregon, and you helped stall the tide. But the waters can only be held for so long; the pressure builds, and that which was intended to stall, becomes the means of creating an overwhelming surge.

I also forgive Lt. Needham of the Harney County Sheriff’s Department, for the lies he told, on the stand and under oath, regarding a conversation he and I had in early December of 2015, before the Refuge protest. Perhaps the conversation we had after I was arrested, while in the prisoner transport van, induced him to fabricate such statements. Deputy Lucas McLain was there, and I’m sure he can recall, as can Shawna Cox, Ammon Bundy, Mark McConnell, Victoria Sharp, and Brian Cavalier. One is his comrade-in-blue (Dep. McLain), two that can lie for the government (McConnell & Cavalier), each within something to gain for their efforts. However, the others who are witness to this are incarcerated (Ammon & Shawna), and one is still trying to discern the truth of many things for herself (Victoria Sharp). But, I’m sure they all recall my questions about his past. Or perhaps he was pressured in some way to fabricate those statements. Only he and G-d know the truth as to why he lied, but I know that it is true that he lied. May you also live forever, Sir. And may the light shine…

A man told me once, “Sunlight is the best disinfectant.” I heard the same from his son, and his other son; my friends. That man was Cliven Bundy, and his sons Ammon and Ryan. I believe this is true, and that the light will expose that which was formerly in the dark; and I believe that One created both, and all that they encompass. I am sorry for the pain and suffering caused by our incarceration, and I’m sorry if my words or actions have contributed to it. I have learned that even the best of intentions can result in adverse outcomes, and I will write this lesson on my heart. May our L-rd in heaven let His countenance shine on us all, that we will learn the truth, and know peace. Shalom!

With utmost sincerity, Your faithful and humble servant,

/s/ Ryan Payne

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Note: In an article posted today, at “Burns Chronicles“, Ryan Payne has moved to withdraw his plea agreement, partially based upon trial based circumstances in the Nevada trial.

[…] of my articles, via mail, while detained at SeaTac Federal Detention Center. After reading “Ryan Payne Explains Some of the Circumstances Surrounding the Bundy Affair in April 2014“, Schuyler sent me the following to post, in response to that […]